“I am sure that we have all been vexed by the march this weekend in the light of the murders at Westminster.

My initial worry was would it be viewed to be in bad taste and then secondly was it fair to be placing additional burden on the security forces at a time when they are clearly very stretched.

My conclusions are that on balance it is right to continue the march because it is a clear and graphical illustration of how civilised people go about seeking political change and therefore it is the best way that we can honour the memory of those that lost their lives or who were injured.

For this reason I intend to continue to participate.”

Sadiq Khan said at yesterday’s vigil in Trafalgar Square: “[The vigil was held]to send a clear, clear, message – Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism”.

This message of course applies to everyone, not just Londoners. We must not let violent thugs take our freedoms – freedom of religion, freedom of politics, freedom to demonstrate… If we stop exercising these and other freedoms as a result of terrorism, then hate and intolerance have already won.

Although it’s not genuine in its origin, the now-famous Tube sign says it all:

Threats to democracy, as always, come from many different directions and we must resist every one of them.